Do you want to know where it’s always sunny in Philadelphia? Homesnacks knows that answer and we’ve published the list here.
That’s right, The City of Brotherly Love is known for the Liberty Bell, the Philadelphia Eagles, and, yes, some pretty cool neighborhoods. And because HomeSnacks does not want you to waste any time with Philly’s worst neighborhoods, we’ve created a list of the best neighborhoods in Philadelphia for 2026 and listed them below.
But before you hit your down arrow, you should probably know a little bit about how we ranked these Philadelphia gems. In order to determine the best, we had to give each neighborhood an actual concrete score: We call this a neighborhood’s overall ‘SnackAbility’. To get this score, we looked at the latest census data on income levels, unemployment rates, crime, and home prices for 56 Philadelphia neighborhoods with over 2,000 residents. Incidentally, this is our eleventh time ranking Philadelphia’s best neighborhoods, so trust us when we say that these are the best of the best.
And, surprisingly, you won’t have to blow your entire bank account if you choose one of Philly’s best neighborhoods because not one of these neighborhoods comes with a $100,000 median income price tag. More importantly, if you’re into living in one of Philadelphia’s quintessential old row houses, Chesnut Hill is your best bet, if safety is your number one priority, you won’t go wrong with Bustleton, and if you’re not worried about a budget, definitely give City Center East a look.
So, want to know what Philadelphia neighborhoods have the wealthiest neighbors, the best jobs, and the least amount of crime? Keep reading.
$76,360 median income · $481,058 median home value
Not only is City Center East the best neighborhood in Philadelphia, it is the largest neighborhood on our list.
The City Center East neighborhood has a lot to be proud of: they moved up three spots to clinch the first place rank and the average home price is $481,058. If you know anything about Philadelphia real estate, this is quite the victory.
Unfortunately, however, they are the second worst neighborhood on our list in terms of crime, so make sure that you do your research before making any life changing decisions.
$105,999 median income · $485,075 median home value
If you’re looking for that quintessential Philadelphia neighborhood that looks like it jumped out of a Norman Rockwell painting, look no further than Philly’s second best neighborhood, Chestnut Hill.
So we were not shocked to discover that Chestnut Hill is Philadelphia’s third safest neighborhood only recording 279 violent crimes per 100k and 3093 property crimes per 100k at the time of this report.
There’s a ton of stuff to do in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood, too. And if you don’t want to take our word for it, read what other people are saying about Chestnut Hill here.
$56,818 median income · $268,021 median home value
Want to be part of the exclusive club that gets to call Philadelphia’s third best neighborhood, Wharton-Hawthorne-Bella Vista home? Well, you’re going to have to have a job that pays close to $56,818 and be able to drop some cash on a home that will cost you close to $268,021.
Also, don’t come here thinking that you’re going to cause trouble. Wharton-Hawthorne-Bella Vista is ranked 12th for both violent and property crime.
And word on the street, you can rub elbows with Bella Vista’s finest at the Independence National Historical Park.
$72,884 median income · $320,109 median home value
Philly’s fourth best neighborhood, Fairmount-Spring Garden, is the second neighborhood on our list to take up real estate along the Schuylkill River.
But what sets Fairmount-Spring Garden apart from the rest is that it shares a property line with
the famous Fairmount Park. This is probably why the homes here cost close to $320,109 and that the population is close to 23,809.
So, if you’re looking for a piece of Philadelphia with tree lined streets and down-to-earth neighbors, look no further than Fairmount-Spring Garden.
$74,773 median income · $446,456 median home value
So what makes 32,463 residents to want to live in Philadelphia’s fifth best neighborhood, City Center West? We’ll tell you.
It’s cheaper to buy a home than rent in this neighborhood. City Center West recorded the highest rent on list coming in at $1,469.
This neighborhood is also ranked eighth for median income, third for home value, and first for the best philly cheesesteak. We hear Sonny’s Famous Steaks is outstanding. But the best thing about the City Center West neighborhood, you get to live close to the Liberty Bell.
$88,516 median income · $321,841 median home value
$68,297 median income · $227,400 median home value
$71,943 median income · $305,539 median home value
If you are thinking about moving to Philadelphia eighth best neighborhood for 2026, you better have a job because Schuylkill Southwest’s unemployment rate is currently at 5.4 percent.
You might also want to think about making sure that job pays close to $71,943 if you want to keep up with the locals in this Southwest Philly neighborhood.
And, folks, Schuylkill Southwest recorded only 3,580 crimes this year, making it the 22nd safest neighborhood on our list. So, yes, it’s pretty safe too.
$61,570 median income · $231,650 median home value
The hustle and bustle must be under control in Philadelphia’s ninth best neighborhood, Bustleton, because it is the first neighborhood on our list in terms of crime. Bustleton only recorded 590 crimes and 6,064 at the time of this report for 2026.
Bustleton’s current average rent will run you around $1,104, one of the least expensive on our list. So, if you’re on the fence about the Bustleton neighborhood, it won’t break your bank if you decide to rent instead of buy.
The rest of Philadelphia could learn a lot from Bustleton.
$107,507 median income · $272,075 median home value
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Pennsylvania’s statewide median.
Pennsylvania statewide median: $77,971
Pennsylvania statewide median: $282,736
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we determined the best Philadelphia, PA neighborhoods in 2026
To rank the best neighborhoods in Philadelphia, we had to determine what criteria define “best” and then apply Saturday Night Science to it.
Using FBI crime, Census, and extrapolated BLS data, we arrived at the following set of criteria:
- High incomes
- Low unemployment rates
- Low crime
- High home prices
- High population densities (A proxy for things to do)
We then ranked each neighborhood with scores from 1 to 56 in each category, where 1 was the best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each neighborhood to create a best neighborhood index.
And finally, we crowned the neighborhood with the lowest best neighborhood index, the “Best City Neighborhood In Philadelphia.” We’re lookin’ at you, City Center East.
Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the best places Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has to offer. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the neighborhoods in the city, from best to worst.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the best neighborhoods to live in Philadelphia.
The full plate
Table: Best Philadelphia neighborhoods for 2026
Click any column to sort. Search by neighborhood name.
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City Center East | 26,784 | $481,058 | $76,360 |
| 2 | Chestnut Hill | 10,783 | $485,075 | $105,999 |
| 3 | Wharton-Hawthorne-Bella Vista | 29,357 | $268,021 | $56,818 |
| 4 | Fairmount-Spring Garden | 23,809 | $320,109 | $72,884 |
| 5 | City Center West | 32,463 | $446,456 | $74,773 |
| 6 | Fishtown | 19,203 | $321,841 | $88,516 |
| 7 | Fox Chase | 20,117 | $227,400 | $68,297 |
| 8 | Schuylkill Southwest | 13,322 | $305,539 | $71,943 |
| 9 | Bustleton | 34,562 | $231,650 | $61,570 |
| 10 | East Falls | 9,937 | $272,075 | $107,507 |
| 11 | Somerton | 26,084 | $235,033 | $67,342 |
| 12 | Roxborough | 14,698 | $249,267 | $89,950 |
| 13 | Girard Estates | 11,869 | $240,820 | $74,177 |
| 14 | South Philadelphia | 24,829 | $171,795 | $45,300 |
| 15 | Rhawnhurst | 28,304 | $197,226 | $56,166 |
| 16 | Point Breeze | 16,276 | $233,615 | $55,178 |
| 17 | Academy Gardens | 4,094 | $193,067 | $71,325 |
| 18 | Oxford Circle | 54,737 | $144,852 | $48,280 |
| 19 | Riverfront | 2,451 | $382,120 | $116,172 |
| 20 | Byberry | 16,442 | $219,346 | $63,343 |
| 21 | Manayunk | 4,007 | $253,750 | $101,206 |
| 22 | Mount Airy | 32,467 | $233,451 | $58,968 |
| 23 | Torresdale | 6,385 | $169,583 | $63,800 |
| 24 | Cedar Brook | 26,401 | $157,534 | $46,862 |
| 25 | Wynnefield | 15,237 | $168,340 | $51,329 |
| 26 | Olney | 41,744 | $101,396 | $38,306 |
| 27 | Oak Lane | 42,412 | $135,242 | $42,352 |
| 28 | Brewerytown | 9,470 | $196,938 | $53,106 |
| 29 | Pennsport-Whitman-Queen | 31,306 | $218,266 | $54,536 |
| 30 | Marconi Plaza-Packer Park | 5,804 | $105,150 | $69,608 |
| 31 | Holmesburry-Torresdale | 25,247 | $130,835 | $46,772 |
| 32 | North Central | 14,299 | $253,378 | $33,376 |
| 33 | Cobbs Creek | 33,242 | $106,654 | $36,830 |
| 34 | Morris Park | 26,860 | $118,371 | $42,528 |
| 35 | Summerdale | 6,756 | $118,500 | $50,710 |
| 36 | Grays Ferry | 15,927 | $165,333 | $58,692 |
| 37 | Richmond | 26,912 | $135,789 | $53,760 |
| 38 | Wissanoning | 27,190 | $108,379 | $44,320 |
| 39 | Mayfield | 32,474 | $139,232 | $48,968 |
| 40 | Eastwick | 6,841 | $152,940 | $62,198 |
| 41 | Poplar-Ludlow-Yorktowne | 18,907 | $184,789 | $35,486 |
| 42 | Belmont | 3,931 | $109,500 | $33,473 |
| 43 | Juniata Park-Feltonville | 34,014 | $78,023 | $31,888 |
| 44 | Hartranft | 20,205 | $90,838 | $23,203 |
| 45 | Harrowgate | 16,098 | $87,075 | $29,043 |
| 46 | Logan-Fern Rock | 23,813 | $80,772 | $30,568 |
| 47 | Kensington | 24,869 | $142,231 | $42,035 |
| 48 | Germantown | 66,915 | $99,031 | $29,642 |
| 49 | Frankford | 23,989 | $93,217 | $33,299 |
| 50 | Haddington-Carroll Park | 35,068 | $68,396 | $28,706 |
| 51 | Elmwood | 15,688 | $103,192 | $36,392 |
| 52 | Hunting Park | 17,642 | $65,918 | $28,438 |
| 53 | Fairhill | 4,405 | $52,433 | $17,992 |
| 54 | Alleghany West | 18,676 | $48,477 | $25,196 |
| 55 | Strawberry Mansion | 13,933 | $68,238 | $29,030 |
| 56 | Tioga-Nicetown | 17,382 | $58,569 | $24,935 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. All 56 Philadelphia neighborhoods.
Summary
Summary: Putting a bow on our analysis of the best neighborhoods in Philadelphia
If you’re measuring the neighborhoods in Philadelphia where crime is low and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best neighborhoods in Philadelphia are City Center East, Chestnut Hill, Wharton-Hawthorne-Bella Vista, Fairmount-Spring Garden, City Center West, Fishtown, Fox Chase, Schuylkill Southwest, Bustleton, and East Falls.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Philadelphia aren’t all good. Tioga-Nicetown takes the title of the worst neighborhood to live in Philadelphia.
We ranked the neighborhoods from best to worst in the chart below. Not sold on Pennsylvania? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Neighborhoods In Philadelphia FAQs
What is the best neighborhood in Philadelphia?
City Center East is the best neighborhood in Philadelphia for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Chestnut Hill and Wharton-Hawthorne-Bella Vista are next.
What are the best neighborhoods in Philadelphia?
The best neighborhoods in Philadelphia are City Center East, Chestnut Hill, Wharton-Hawthorne-Bella Vista, Fairmount-Spring Garden, City Center West, Fishtown, Fox Chase, Schuylkill Southwest, Bustleton, and East Falls. We ranked all 56 neighborhoods in the city.
How expensive is City Center East?
The median household income in City Center East is $76,360 and the median home costs $481,058. The best blocks in Philadelphia rarely come at a discount.
How do you rank Philadelphia neighborhoods?
Each neighborhood is scored on income, home values, population density, unemployment, and crime, using Census tract data. The neighborhood with the best combined score, City Center East, takes the top spot.
Which Philadelphia neighborhood ranked last?
Tioga-Nicetown came in last of the 56 neighborhoods we scored. Every city has a bottom of the table; in Philadelphia the numbers put it there.
